After a lengthy absence caused by countless failed drug tests, Browns receiver Josh Gordon is finally back in the NFL. On Sunday, he’ll be set to play in his first game since 2014.
As he has worked his way back into a position to return to the Browns, Gordon has agreed to multiple interviews to tell his story — from his downfall to his comeback. Previously, Gordon told GQ that he used to get drunk or high before every game. On Tuesday, Sports Illustrated published its story, which was written by Ben Baskin. The entire story is well worth a read, but let’s take a moment to highlight one incredible, hard-to-believe nugget.
Gordon told SI he used to make $10,000 a month in college by selling marijuana. Baskin explains:
Two hundred miles, though, was not enough to extricate Gordon from the streets of Fondren. As a sophomore at Baylor he says he was receiving as much as six pounds of weed—vacuum-sealed and wrapped in Mylar, sprayed with kerosene and covered in coffee beans to mask the smell, shipped through U.S. mail—every week from a dealer back home. He would drive to Dallas, Austin and San Antonio to sell it, and he estimates he was bringing in upward of $10,000 in profit every month. He was arrested for possession in fall 2010 and one year later was indefinitely suspended for failing a school drug test.
Again, the entire story is worth a full read. Go do that.
Hue Jackson on Josh Gordon for Sunday: "I got big plans for him. I plan for him to play and play as much as he can handle."
— Adam Levitan (@adamlevitan) November 28, 2017
In 2013, Gordon led the NFL with 1,646 receiving yards. He’s still only 26 years old. If Gordon can stay on the field and get back to doing what he did before the failed drug tests doomed him, he’ll form a formidable receiver duo with 23-year-old Corey Coleman.
The Browns are 4-39 since the beginning of the 2015 season. So, they could certainly use another good, young player. Ultimately, it’s up to Gordon to find a way to stay on the field.
